


plastic-made dreams

by MXRI



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Drabble Collection, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-23
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-03-19 07:39:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 14,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3601824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MXRI/pseuds/MXRI
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of drabbles dedicated to the one and only french fry of Karasuno. Most of them might be incoherent and stupid because the author's a confused noodle with no sense of humor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Edit]: Just a reminder that most of the old drabbles have been rewritten.

That night, you found yourself doodling while listening to a soothing fanmix of choice, when a sudden notification sound coming from your phone caused you to jump from your seat, startled.  
  
It was no one other than one of your closest friends, Tsukishima Kei.  
  
Well in summary, maybe you had a thing or two for him. Or maybe you were simply madly head over heels. How? You'd ask yourself that everyday. Maybe you had come into terms with yourself on how you felt towards him.  
  
Tsukishima Kei was a boy with a disgusting witty personality – and not ugly, if I may add; you wondered how did you even manage befriending him.  
  
'Get dressed. You have 15 minutes.'  
  
_Ok, but how do you expect me to get ready in 15 minutes? You're a disgrace,_ you thought as you set your sketchbook aside.  
  
Sure, in this friendship the two of you would often hang out – such as a marathon of trash movies and dinosaur documentaries, gather up's at smoothie shops and meetings in bookstores – but rather than late on a friday night was unusual, you decided.  
  
You didn't quite know how to dress. And due to the lack of time, you grabbed the first band shirt that came into your view, skinny jeans and your hoodie.  
  
You didn't have time to treat your face nor did you have the time to straighten your messy hair; all you did was wash your face and put your hair on a messy and funky – you thought – bun.  
  
Just as you were finishing tying your converse shoelaces, your phone rang.  
  
"I'm here."  
  
"Ok, would you care to tell me where are we going at 22:37 in the middle of the night?"  
  
"You'll see."

* * *

The park in front of you stood as empty as ever. Not a single soul could be seen. Not even the sound of insects could be heard.

"If you plan on murdering me I'll haunt you forever." Was all you managed to say, a subtle smirk on your lips.  
  
He rolled his eyes at you and walked towards a certain spot, you skipping after him.  
  
On a slightly elevated portion of land stood a single tree. The moon could be clearly seen as well.  
  
You slightly tilted your head at him as he sat down by the tree. You shrugged either way and sat by his side.  
  
"If we get kidnapped and sold to the black market, I'll forever and always haunt your miserable soul." You hated when things like that happened – awkwardness and anxiety getting the best of you; but there was no helping it.  
  
"I see." He replied nonchalantly as ever, leaning his back against the tree.  
  
"Why are we here?" Lowering your tone, you calmly asked him, still rather than unsure on what were you doing there.  
  
Tsukishima sideglanced at you, raising his chin and pointing it to the sky.  
  
Maybe you were a nerd when the subject was space or any kind of far off land; even at a young age you always loved staying alone in your house's balcony simply staring at the sky.  
  
The moon always seemed to get your attention; the mere sight of it filled you in wonders. _What even existed out there?_       
  
Even by simply staring at a picture of the solar system in your science book caused you to ponder. Think of the infinity of planets, systems, galaxies, black holes, hell why not alternate universes? The constant and intense reblogging of pictures of nebulas was part of your daily routine.  
  
You thought of the day your neighbor came by with her telescope so you could watch the "Super Moon" event that had happened ages ago.  
  
You were an itty bitty little nerd. But so was Tsukishima.  
  
You hummed a cheerful tune as you fell to your back and spread your arms. The grass felt surprisingly comfortable – instead of itchy – against your skin.  
  
A simple - and maybe questionable – gesture such as bringing you to an empty park in the middle of the night just to simply enjoy one another's company while staring at the sky before you. . that made your heart flutter.  
  
"I like it here." You had said in a whisper, your gaze roaming the view before you, as if you were trying to spot every single star out there.  
_Besides the fear of being approached by a crazy hobo or a serial killer,_ you mused but decided to keep that to yourself. _Absurdly_ _off_ - _putting_ _._  
  
The fact Tsukishima was awfully quiet made you uneasy in a way. But even so, he soon joined you, lying by your side.  
  
You both stood in silence for a few minutes, simply contemplating the particular sight of that starry night.  
  
That is, until you took hold of his hand.  
  
_Friends hold hands, right?_  
  
He turned his head to look confusedly at you straight in the face; all you did was smile back at him.  
  
_We can change that._  
  
You gently squeezed his hand, softly caressing his skin with your thumb. "You know, I don't believe in many things. I don't exactly believe in religion, nor have I faith in humanity."  
  
You were legitimately expecting a sarcastic remark of his, but when none came, you continued on with your train of thought.  
  
"I also don't believe in things such as soulmates. I am but a giant and anxious nerd who loves her shih-tzu and her Wacom tablet; not forgetting to mention my love for tea and dino documentaries."  
  
Tsukishima no longer seemed stiff or tense with the fact you were holding his hand, instead, he softly squeezed yours in return.  
  
"I have this thing for sweaters and hoodies, how much I love my worn out sneakers. I might be socially awkward and have this certain conflict by dealing with my emotions, but all I'm sure is – like I said before, I don't believe in soulmates – people can love each other unconditionally and perhaps, why not forever?"  
  
You stopped for a moment to catch your breath, staring at the stars reflected on his glasses. "Be it a mother loving her son, or the son loving his siblings, the mother loving her husband, the son loving this certain girl in his class, even."  
  
You were now slowly sitting up and taking hold of his hand with both of your hands.  
  
"Be it love or not, the blonde-haired douche before my eyes is the one I feel deeply attracted to. The one who understands me. The one who tolerates me. The one I'm completely affectionated with."  
  
_What am I even. . ?_  
  
"Tsukishima Kei, I am trully, madly, deeply in love with you."


	2. texts

You had this certain habit to wake up extra early and send your boyfriend, Tsukishima Kei, cute texts with emojicons to cheer him for when he woke up. Little did you know, your texts weren't the first thing he saw in the morning – but they still made his day.  
  
 **– Time to rise and shine,** **Kei** **! I hope you had a  great night sleep. \\(＾▽＾)/**  
  
You personally thought they were too melodramatic, but shrugged it off. You adored spamming him, either way.  
  
 **– Know what time is it? Yes, it's always tea time but you should go get ready for school. ヘ(￣u￣ヘ)**  
  
He wouldn't reply because you assumed he read them by the time you were arriving at school and from there you two met.  
  
 **– I'm too clingy, ain't I? (￣^** **￣** **)**  
  
You held onto two heavy books by your chest as you stood by your group of friends. You would often talk about absolute nonsense and laugh histerically as people stared at you.  
  
"Good morning." He would mutter as he approached you, kissing the top of your head.  
  
Your friends would internally squeal while giving a rather than questionable look. You were a cute (yet unusual) couple, there's no denying it , but how you even came to was a mystery to everyone.

* * *

During lunchtime he would often offer to buy you some iced tea – which you gladly accepted.

You would also join him for lunch, receiving a few looks from your friends here and there. He was your boyfriend, after all. _That's how relationships work, right?_ You weren't too sure yourself.  
  
You couldn't leave your eyes off him. It was so adorable watching him silently enjoy his strawberry shortcake. He would reply with a remark, which always made you chuckle.  
  
And yes, you would hold hands. As much as he tried to stop you, you would never let go of his hand. But he wouldn't complain afterwards.  
  
You would also beg to wear his enormous jacket; even if he didn't lent you, you'd end up snatching it anyways.  
  
You don't recall having real fights to the point you were mad at eachother. You would discuss about random things; from philosophy to a ramble about your favorite tea or how your favorite series should have ended.  
  
At the end of the day, you discussed Imagine Dragons' new album on your way home. You both agreed that "I'm So Sorry" was your favorite track.  
  
You hugged him a goodbye and skipped away before he could give you a peck on the cheek.  
  
"Stay tuned." You shouted, slamming the door as you entered your house, leaving a very confused Kei behind.

* * *

Hurriedly finishing your homework and having dinner, you proceeded to text your boyfriend but not one of your "cute" mornings texts; it was actually something you considered innovative – and stupidly amusing – in your relationship.

– Kei, my sweet peanut.  
  
 _– Yes?_  
  
– I need some answers for my math homework.  
  
 _– What?_  
  
– Quick. What's your number?  
  
 _– Where are you trying to get?_  
  
– You ruin all the fun. Ok ok, I have more.  
  
 _– Don't._  
  
– Stop being such a wuss, you loser. Ok, here I go.  
  
– Do you have a map?  
  
 _–_ _No_ _._  
  
– Because I just keep getting lost in your eyes!  
  
– The list is endless, hang on.  
  
 _– Do as you please._  
  
– You're so beautiful you made me forget my pick up line.  
  
– Not really, I actually have more.  
  
 _–_ _Are_ _you_ _allegedly_ _attempting_ _to_ _swoon_ _me_ _or_ _what_ _?_  
  
– It's not my fault that I fell for you, you tripped me!  
  
– Your eyes are like a sunset. They're beautiful, inspiring, and hard to turn away from.  
  
– Ok now that was plainly adorable.  
  
– Anyways~  
  
– What are you doing for the rest of your life? Because I want to spend it with you!  
  
 _– Are you done?_  
  
– Not yet.  
  
– I had a pick up line but, your beautiful eyes continue to interrupt me.  
  
– But seriously, your eyes are beautiful.  
  
 _– I have one, too._  
  
– OMFG, go ahead. (´∀`)  
  
 _– Go the fuck to sleep._  
  
Holding your finger against the screen, you sent him an audio message: "You disgust me."  
  
Before he could even retort you decided to call him. "Salutations love of my life."  
  
 _"Haai~"_  
  
"Admit my pick-up lines were awesome."  
  
 _"You definitely should go to sleep."_  
  
"It's early."  
  
 _"It's 23:17."_  
  
"Exactly. So, what are you doing?"  
  
 _"Just got out of shower."_  
  
"Ohoho~ Can I borrow a kiss? I promise I'll give it back."  
  
 _"Are you done, now?"_  
  
"W-wait!"  
  
 _"Actually, allow me. There's a big sale in my bedroom right now. Clothes are now 100% off."_  
  
". . ."  
  
 _". . ."_  
  
"You ruin all the mood, you horny asshole."


	3. supermarkets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A friend came up with the idea that Kei loves going to supermarkets.

You woke up to the sound of a loud yelp and a door being slammed shut.  
  
Jumping up you spotted no one other than your boyfriend, Tsukishima Kei. He was jumping around while holding onto his foot, that is, until he fell back.  
  
 _"O-oi!?"_  
  
You couldn't help but laugh at him. "What were you doing?"  
  
"I stubbed my toe while looking for clothes."  
  
You glanced at the clock resting by your nightstand.  
  
"And may I ask where you plan on going at 8 in the morning?"  
  
He looked up at you with a pout. "S-supermarket."  
  
"Since when you go to supermarkets Tsukishima Kei?"  
  
"Since always?"  
  
"Please go back to sleep."


	4. so this is love

"Ne, (Name)-senpai."

Your perked your head up at your friend Hitoka Yachi, who was sitting by your side while the second years were helping place the equipment into the storage room.

"There's no need for the honorific, really. But I'm sure Noya-san and Tanaka-san would die to be called senpai," you scoffed with a smirk on your face.

"O-oh, (Name)-san?"

"Sounds about right," you chuckled dryly. "What is it?"

"W. . what does love feel like?"

You stared blankly at her, wondering how the hell that came up to her mind; why was she asking you, even. Did you look like some sort of love expert?

By now she was looking down, twiddling her thumbs. "I've seen the way you look at Tsukishima-san."

That caused your face to flush in the darkest shades of pink. ". . .We're just friends."

You tried playing it cool by crossing your arms and turning your head, only to meet a pair of golden eyes looking at you in the distance.

The tiniest of smiles pursed your lips before you turned back to Yachi, criss-crossing your legs.

". . .Well, I believe love is a matter of selflessness; to put a deared person before you." You rose a finger to the air. "For example, you'd try anything to make that person smile. When you're in love your heart flutters at the sight of your loved one; the mere sight of them would make your day."

You stopped for a moment, as if choosing your next words carefully.

"Love sucks."

You exhaled rather than enthusiastically, taking note the team was already taking their bags, as if ready to leave.

"We should get going."

Yachi nodded furiously before running to take her shoulder bag.

You, on the other hand, maintained your pace slow, giggling at Yachi's hurry.

_"Chibi-chan."_

And so you heard _that_ voice calling out to you.

His monotone voice sent chills down your spine and yet, caused your heart to flutter and beat rapidly.

"You did well today." You looked up at him, as if almost endearing.

_So this is love._

All he did was nod, joining you in your slow pace.

"Ne, Kei-kun. How about we get you some strawberry shortcake?"


	5. locks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how to be romantic.

There was no denying it; the view before was simply beautiful.

Your head rested on his lap as he gently played with your hair locks.  
  
You just stared at his peaceful face, as if every single itty bitty little detail – be it a flaw or not – were strategically placed there to mold his beautiful face.  
  
He rose a single brow at the shit-eating grin you gave him.  
  
"Who allowed you to be this beautiful?"

_"You~"_

"Whatthefuck."


	6. sunday morning

You jumped awake.  
  
Stopping for a moment, you looked at your surroundings and found it strange the fact you didn't hear your child crying you awake.  
  
You also found it strange you woke up alone in your bed.  
  
 _Don't tell me. ._  
  
Not exactly caring to put slippers or anything on, you rushed downstairs – must I say you regretted not picking shoes because the floor was damn cold.  
  
Once you made it to the living room, you felt the corners of your eyes tearing up.  
  
Right before your eyes you found your husband, Tsukishima Kei, knocked out on the couch. And cuddling by his side, well, there laid your precious daughter.  
  
Kari (your daughter) was adorably clutching at Kei's sweatshirt, both of them having drool stains on their faces.  
  
 _You guys will be the death of me,_ you internally squealed before deciding to sit on the rug by the couch.  
  
You gently poked Kei's arm before giving him a kiss on the cheek.  
  
 _"Good morning~"_


	7. jurassic park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've been playing Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis a lot.

"I love this movie," you mumbled, your voice being muffled out by your blanket.  
  
You were currently lying on your bed, your boyfriend having his arms wrapped around your waist. His head rested on the crook of your neck, his warm breath gently brushing against the side of your face.  
  
He would quietly hum in agreement at each comment you made; there were times you complained he was too quiet but this time you were too tired to even bother.  
  
"School's killing me," you blurted out, letting your shoulders drop. Gently pushing Kei's grip from you, you rolled over, your back now facing the television.  
  
He looked down at you, his lips pursed in wonder. "Don't you dare sleep in the middle of this masterpiece."  
  
You clutched at his comfy sweatshirt, letting out a sigh. "I may."  
  
"The brachiosauruses haven't even appeared."  
  
"Who cares. You're my personal brachiosaurus."  
  
"My neck's not that long."  
  
"And to think, brachiosauruses are just as overrated as a t-rex and a triceratops."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"Don't question. The female side of the relationship is always right," a goofy grin was now plastered across your face. "I'm so damn tired."  
  
"You can't just fall asleep like that. We're in the middle of an important discussion."  
  
"I prefer stegosauruses, if that's where you're getting at. Parasaurolophuses are also nice."  
  
"So you prefer herbivores?"  
  
"Not necessarily."  
  
"Favorite carnivore?"  
  
"Are we really talking about this right now?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You're such a dork."  
  
"Tch."  
  
"Ok so, I'd say albertosaurus. Spinosauruses are just as amazing. Oh, acrocanthosauruses used to hunt large herbivores and that's plainly awesome."  
  
"I'd say most of carnivores hunt down large herbivores."  
  
"Acrocanthosauruses aren't that big."  
  
You poked at his belly and looked up at him, your eyelids droopy. "Allow me to sleep now?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Alright."  
And with that, you snaked your arms around his waist and rested your head against his toned stomach. Before he could protest in any way, you were already fast asleep.  
  
 _"And there's the brachiosaurus scene."_


	8. heels

Kei would be found sitting on the couch of your living room; waiting for you to get ready, actually.  
  
You were going to your aunt's wedding and there's no way you wouldn't invite your boyfriend.  
  
Upstairs, you faced quite an impasse. Hell, you were 16 and didn't even know how to walk on heels properly. You bit your bottom lip as your held onto your wardrobe's handle for support.  
  
 _What am I going to do? All I have are sneakers and slips-ons. Not too formal for a wedding, if you'd ask me. I honestly thought I had a smaller heel?_  
  
You exhaled heavily before placing a hand on your waist, taking a step back. You stumbled and, luckily, landed on your bed.  
  
Your dress wasn't that long so it wouldn't cover your footwear; you sister and mother had gone early to help with everything, so you had to count with your brother-in-law for a ride. Not officially, if I must say, but you liked the sound of that.  
  
"Oi, what's taking you so long?"  
  
You could clearly tell that was Kei, knocking at your door.  
  
"Well, you see, there's a little problem. Come on in."  
  
As soon as he peeked his head in, you pointed at your feet, the heels, specifically.  
  
"How dare you."  
  
You blankly stared back at him, slightly tilting your head. ". . .What?"  
  
"This is blasphemy. I expected more of you, (Name)."  
  
"What the fuck are you talking about."  
  
"I've never experienced such betrayal."  
  
By now a hand rested on his chin and you swore he looked sad; disappointed, even.  
  
"Chibi-chan. . No more."  
  
"Wait. The heels?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
And to think you were almost as tall as him with heels on, and that seemed to compromise his teasing of refering to you as a midget.  
  
"Kei, what the fuck. I'm struggling here and you're complaining about those?"  
  
"What's the deal?"  
  
You allowed your head and shoulders to drop, your lips shaping into a pout.  
  
"I. . don't know. . how to walk. . on heels."  
  
"What? I can't hear you."  
  
"Idon'tknowhowtowalkonheels."  
  
"Slow down, now."  
  
You waved your arms at him and blurted out, "I don't know how to walk on heels, okay!"  
  
All he did was chuckle at your misery.  
  
"Let's go. We're late." He held his hand out for you to reach.  
  
"Ok, but how do you expec–"  
  
"Lean on me, idiot. I'm here for you."


	9. you had me at "hello"

It was lunch break and Tsukishima swore he felt someone constantly poking him; as he wore his headphones he paid no mind.  
  
When the poking came to an end, a single gentle tap could be felt on his shoulder. Before he could even consider turning around, a head was already poking from behind his shoulder.  
  
Allowing his headphones to rest around his neck, he confusedly blinked a couple of times before turning to look at whoever had been annoying him all this time. _How dare you step into my comfort zone._  
  
"Hello!"  
  
It was. . a girl. First of all, why was she talking to him? Of all people in that class, why would a girl would ever approach such stoic, rather than annoying male; too sarcastic his own good, even. But the reasons to why author loves Kei are for another day.  
  
"I took notice you've been here by yourself; I am too, considering I'm a major introvert and–"  
  
"Why bother?" He rose a single brow at you; had he ever met you before? He didn't think so. You were probably someone who sat by the last seats, where he never really paid attention to. Why would he, anyway?  
  
The girl stared blankly at him, possibly cussing under her breath at his rude remark of interrupting someone.  
"I'm just trying to be friendly, that's all."  
  
"Well, you could go and enjoy your break instead. Leave me alone, perhaps?"  
  
You fixed your glasses and slouched back into your seat, arms crossed.  
  
"Okay, buddy. I simply saluted you; there's no need to be a dick about it." Jumping up as you slammed your palms against your table, you finished, "You could go fuck yourself now."  
  
With a single brow raised he watched you leave, in which you almost ended up bumping into another student.  
   Said student was actually his friend, Yamaguchi Tadashi. Based off his surprised face, he concluded he'd heard the small discussion he had with the girl.  
  
"What was that, Tsukki?"  
  
"It was nothing."  
  
And with that, he proceeded to put his headphones back on and ignore the world around him.  
  
But deep inside, the tiniest part of him wondered if he offended you somehow. Not like he cared or anything, he simply questioned himself. And above all, you had decided to approach him at your own will and, well, that made you an interesting one in his eyes.


	10. "interviewer"

After respecfully bowing at your mother, Tsukishima peacefully made his way to your room. Well, before he could knock on your door or barge in, whatsoever, he could clearly hear some sort of. . unusual sound.

Scratch that. You were singing, he presumed. That, or you were shouting at someone through the phone or even talking to yourself. Who knows?

_**Suki na ongaku wa nandesu ka?** _

_(What kind of music do you like?)_

_**Suki na tabemono wa nandesu ka?** _

_(What kind of food do you like?)_

_**Kimi no suki na hito wa dare desu ka?** _

_(Who is the person you like?)_

_**Betsuni sore ga boku janakute ii kedo.** _

_(Oh, it doesn't have to be me, by the way.)_

_Is she mad at me or something. . ? I don't recall doing anything to piss her off like this._

_**Suki na eiga wa nandesu ka?** _

_(What kind of movie do you like?)_

_**Suki na kotoba wa nandesu ka?** _

_(What kind of words do you like?)_

_**Ima aitai hito wa imasu ka?** _

_(Is there someone you want to see right now?)_

_**Kitto sore wa boku janain darou kedo** _

_(Without a doubt, that person can't be me.)_

His lips pursed in wonder before he decided to step inside, only to find you upside down with your phone outstretched in front of you.

Before uttering a single word, you suddenly yelped in pain, due to your phone falling straight into your face – he startled you in the middle of your vocaloid karaoke session, after all.

"What were you doing?"

"It doesn't matter," you quickly shushed him, gently rubbing the sore spot your phone caused you.

"I don't think I've ever heard you sing."

"You can leave now."

"Would you mind if I answered them?"

"Answer what?"

"The interview."


	11. loss

At each second that passed, you swore the beeping coming from your phone was getting louder; loud enough to be considered a nuisance, enough to make you want to put it on silent mode – truth is, you were scared of seeing the million messages he had sent you.  
  
A week after your grandfather's passing had gone by and you've been neglecting his entire existence. Even at school, you'd lay low and intend never to utter a word – only to agree silently with every comment he made.  
  
It really surprised him when you suddenly started joining your friends during lunchbreak – not that there was anything wrong with it, no; you just happened to ignore him.  
  
He, too, didn't try questioning you; for that he believed you were simply in a bad mood because of, well, cramps and you didn't want him to see you like that.  
  
You didn't want to sound harsh or ignorant in any possible way; that's why you were ignoring his text messages. He didn't question that, too, but when a week went by he decided to put a stop to it – if things weren't working out you could just simply break up; there's no need to be immature and ignore him. Or so he believed.  
  
When he decided to take action, he found you on your bed staring at the wall with earplugs on. _Maybe she's asleep. . ?_ Interestingly enough, just as he thought that, you turned around. Surprise washed over your face, revealing that in fact, it was just a coincidence and you hadn't heard him come in.  
  
He could note your face was, in fact, stained with tears; that caused him to ponder if he'd messed up somehow.  
  
"Hey." His voice came low, as in a whisper, him sitting at the edge of your bed.  
  
You ran a hand across your face, sniffling and wiping a few sneaky tears – you didn't plan on scaring him off looking like that.  
  
"Look, I know I messed up," you stated.  
  
"I'm not here to scream at you, if that's what you're wondering. For this past week, I seriously think those are the first words you've ever spoke to me." The thought caused him to chuckle dryly.  
  
"If you need some time for yourself, I completely understand. I simply would like to know if there's something wrong. Or if I failed you, somehow."  
  
You couldn't help but stare at him in disbelief. _This guy. . He's too good for me._ You let out an exasperated sigh, patting the bed and signaling for him to join you.  
  
He nodded and soon proceeded to lie by your side, staring down at your petite frame. What really surprised him was you clinging at his shirt, burying your face on his chest.  
  
"I'm such a horrible girlfriend. We aren't supposed to keep secrets from one another – or so I suppose – but here I am. ." By now you couldn't contain your sobbing. "My g-grand. . fat-ther passed a. . away."  
  
Setting aside the light feeling of distrust aside – well, it was your choice not to tell him – he couldn't help but wonder. _How could I not notice something was indeed not right? Took me an entire week to decide to question her about it._  
  
He's never experienced losing someone – well, atleast not like that. His parents had divorced years ago but having to deal with a deared person's death. . he didn't want you to face it alone.  
  
He pulled you closer, his arms securing around you.". . Kei. . it feels surreal. . y'know? I mean, weeks ago we were having dinner and he gave my sister this book he got from a friend because it was about law and ethics or whatever – she majored in law. . we'd always visit them on sundays and he'd love watching those detective shows. . or sports. He was a huge fan. The news, too."  
  
His hand ran through your messy locks; he was probably the first person you had ever told those and all he could do in return was comfort you.  
  
"I'm here for you."  
  
Those words stuck to your head and you couldn't help but smile sheepishly at him.  
  
"If you need to cry a river, then so be it. If you need someone to share your thoughts with, a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on – anything; I want you to know that I'm not leaving. Even if we spend minutes, hours, days like this, then that's completely fine."  
  
"We might be two fucking losers who love each other and know nothing about relationships but, well, we still have one another to lean on amidst our hardships."  
  
"Thank you, Kei."  
  
"For what, exactly?"  
  
"For being here."


	12. love?

_What is_ _love?_

It was possibly the 5th time you had written that phrase on your notebook. You just happened to be curious, naturally.

_Love is subjective._

You could search the word meaning on a dictionary, search for people's personal interpretations, read books on this subject; you just couldn't find it in you to understand something as mischievous as  _"love"._  

_Am I_ _in_ _love?_

You loved your family, friends, even the things you owned – but did you think dear of someone, to the point of picturing yourself with that person? Were they someone you wanted to spend the rest of your life with? Hell, let us not start with marriage. Marriage, too, was something off-limits. To be honest, it scared you. Could've been illogical, yes, but wasn't it natural for a living being to fear the unknown?

"I should stop this before I go insane," you mumbled out in exhaustion, setting your notebook aside. Your phone then caught your attention, the screen blinking and showing a new message you had received.

_I forgot_ _to_ _give_ _your_ _book_ _back_ _._ _I'm_ _passing_ _by_ _your_ _house_ _,_ _so_ _, would_ _you_ _like_ _me_ _to_ _drop_ _by_ _?_  –  ** _dino-nerd.exe_**

Ok, that might've been a little immature of you to set that contact name, but it's not like it wasn't true. You were a major dinosaur nerd, too.

Now, coming to think of it. . did you _like_ Tsukishima? You adored him, for that he was one of your closest friends. But could you picture yourself spending the rest of your life with him? Did he make you feel weird? Giddy or funny, somehow? Was being with him heartwarming? Sure your friends would drop hints and suggest the two of you got together; you had nothing against him, really, but just. . did you feel _anything_ at all?

The fear of rejection was also there.

Yet, in all honesty, you came to the conclusion you had an irrational fear of being in a relationship.

Maybe you weren't ready for a relationship.  Maybe you weren't ready to _love_ someone.

_Sure. Would you like to get some coffee afterwards?_


	13. tea

You were quietly humming this catchy tune you heard yesterday as you finished boiling water for your tea. Your right foot was softly tapping against the wood tiles, your hips swaying slightly side to side.  _I_   _get_   _addicted_   _to_   _songs_   _too_   _quickly_ _,_ you mused, a gentle smile plastered across your face.

You turned the oven off and took the pan with boiling water, filling the cup you had placed on the counter. Going through a peculiarly long list of tea bags, you decided to pick black tea. You placed it on the cup and waited for it to dissolve, resting your head on your palm.

As you waited, the door creaked open. You quickglanced at your boyfriend, – whom you had been dating for 5 years – him peacefully making his way to you.

"Good morning."

He mumbled, a chaste kiss had been placed on your cheek.

"You don't look too hot."

His hair was a mess, you noted. He probably hadn't brushed it. .  _I mean, he might've just woken up but still._  You grinned at the thought of his lazy behavior, quickly glancing at your teacup.

"It's not even 10 in the morning and you're already making yourself some tea?"

"Affirmative. Would you like some?"

"I'll have the same as you."


	14. sass

"Kei, I'm not good with kids."

"You say it as if I were, in fact, good with children."

"You're the youngest of siblings."

"And so are you."

"Your point?"

" _Your_ point?"

"Ok, but, hear me out. What if I end up being a failure of a mother? Or – or if I end up being too strict? Or lack patience?"

"You have lots of patience, trust me. You have to put up with me."

"Pft."

"I'm serious."

"We've already agreed we're both disgustingly sarcastic, ok? Maybe we're too much of a match."

"Nah, I'm just the  _average_   _guy_ _._ "

"I'll punch you."

"You won't. You  _always_  say you will and you never do. After all," by now he was smirking down at you. "You can't resist me."

"Please, go die in a fire."

"You'll miss me too much so that's a no."

"Have you always been this sassy? I blame it on all the years you spent with Kuroo and Bokuto."


	15. bandages

That might've been the third time Kei did a successful block and you felt yourself flinching at the way his fingers were slightly pulled back. You discreetly called Shimizu, that requested a time-out for Ukai. You respectfully bowed at her, thanking for the small favor.

You jumped up and waved your hand towards the team. Just as they turned their attention to you, you shouted. "Kei, come here for a sec."

Much to his dismay ( _not_ ) he did as you commanded, stopping on his tracks and staring down at you.

"Give me your hands."

"What."

"Your hands. Show 'em."

"I don't think it's the right time for this kind of stuff, (Name). We're in the middle of practice."

He swore a flaming dark aura was surrounding you by now.

"You're shitting me." You rolled your eyes, forcefully taking hold of both of his hands. He gasped, the "crowd" behind him screaming in awe.

"Do they hurt?"

He tilted his head at you, a dark shade of pink dusting his face due to the sudden contact.

"Your fingers. They have calluses. . and due to the constant blocking. . do they hurt?"

He shook his head, not quite getting the point of all this.

"Would you mind me patching them up?"

"Why would you do that?"

Taking it as a yes, you proceeded to wrap a bandage around each of his fingers – all but his toe and pinky finger.

"I'm just worried about your safety, that's all."

Even if he couldn't see such atrocity, the rest of the team (in the background) was furiously rooting for the two of you. Not like you minded, really. It was all up to Kei to accept your feelings and, deep inside, your gut told you he felt the same way.


	16. yogurt afternoon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is dumb.

It was a horrible afternoon.

Horrible as in: _it was too hot._

Even if you had the air conditioner on, you would still feel yourself sweating. Sadly, there was no ice cream to refresh your soul.

And on that day, you had invited Tsukishima over, currently your partner for a physics project.

The two of you lied on the couch, one opposite to the other – you rested your back against the arm rest and Kei did the same, on the other side. But that also meant your legs would brush against one another's, much to your dismay. It even caused you to flinch and grit your teeth.

As for the impasse at hand. . You considered making yourself some ice cream but it would take far too long to be done. Having pure ice cubes. . Lame. Refreshing, perhaps, but lame.

And so you found the solution for your problems.

Sort of.

Earlier, you had put yogurt on the freezer – they hadn't turned into popsicles just yet but they were cold enough to refresh the two of you.

"Stop bumping into my leg. It's annoying."

You spoke up at him, savoring the strawberry yogurt with a spoon.

He squinted menacingly and rolled his eyes at you. "Can't you move to the side, _midget?"_

You softly gasped at his remark, retorting, "Oho. I would if I could. Sadly, your huge ass legs are occupying all the space."

He purposedly (harshly) nudged your knee with his, once again.

By now you were snarling at him.

"Look, you're my guest and it is expected of me, as the host, to be respectful. But it won't happen if the feeling's not mutual."

"Your point?" He rose a single brow at you.

"It would be rude of me if I kicked you out."

"How _kind_ of you."

_This_ _guy_   _is_   _unreal_ _!_ _What a fucking_   _loser_ _. . !_

"That's what I do."

Kei could note your sour face as you ate your cold dessert,  _You're_ _just_ _as_ _tired_ _as_ _I_ _am_ _of_ _you._

"Have you thought on how are we going to do this project?" You asked.

"Shouldn't we be working on it right now?"

You knitted your brows together, a finger on your chin. "Well, it's a terrible heatwave. We have an excuse to not do it today. . Or now. We're lazy, are we not?"

"I suppose so. This yogurt's really good."

You nodded in agreement. . Accidently bumping your leg into his. And somehow, that shook him and his yogurt fell to his lap.

_Oh._

_Oh_ _no._

His golden orbs revealed no emotion, but he still made sure to stare right at your own eyes. He was slowly, at a time, sitting straight up.

_How_   _do_   _I_   _appease_   _this_   _beast_ _. . ?_ _We're_   _out_   _of_   _yogurts._

"Here! Have mine."

You shoved your cup right at his face and must I say, luck wasn't at your favor today.

The cup had stained his face. And a few strawberry droplets had fallen to his shirt as well.

". . I could lent you a shirt. . ?"

_Hah_ _._ _Let's_   _just_   _hope_   _I_ _find_   _something_ _that_   _fits_   _your_   _gigantic_   _size._

_"Run."_

Was all he said.

And that was your cue to leave the country forever.


	17. issue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't a particularly mature subject but I ask of you to be open-minded. Tsukishima's going to be 2nd year while Reader's a 3rd year.

Clutching onto your lime-green backpack’s handle, you peacefully made your way to class 4. That evening, your boyfriend Tsukishima wasn’t going to have practice due to captain Ennoshita’s absence – and that was your cue to spend a few more hours with him. You couldn’t help but grin like an idiot, once you reached the doorstep.

Before even taking a peek inside and call out for Tsukishima, something caught your attention.

“Say, Tsukishima. How are things going between you and [Y/N]?”

You recalled Yamaguchi was in the same class as him but. . That didn’t sound like Tadashi. _It doesn’t sound like any of the other guys, to be honest.  At any rate. . What’s this guy talking about?_

You pressed your back against the wall, besides the door – hopefully they wouldn’t notice you were eavesdropping on their conversation.  _“I’m just curious, that’s all.”_ You mumbled under your breath, reassuringly.

“That’s none of your business.”

Was that. . Tsukishima? You had never heard him speak in such deep and menacing tone. .  It sent chills down your spine. _Are those guys picking on him. ._ _?_

“What’s the matter, huh? Frustration because you haven’t got laid yet?” Another guy snickered.

_So that’s what it’s all about. ._

You heard the sound of a chair being pulled back, followed by soft steps heading your way. _E-Eep! What if it’s one of those bullies?! I, er, gotta pretend I just came around!_ You tried, you really did, but simply putting on a stoic face and crossing your arms while whistling wasn’t much of a smooth way to go. Good job.

“Let’s go.”

His voice wasn’t as deep as before, but it still caused you to flinch. “Did you know I was here?” You maintained your gaze low, not mustering up enough courage to look up at him. _Am I the reason those guys were picking on him. . ?_

“I heard you humming.”

 _Oops._ _Luckily the guys from before didn’t hear me. ._

He started walking ahead of you and you skipped right after, intertwining you hand in his. On your way outside of the school building, neither of you uttered a single word. You would catch yourself ever so often side glancing at him, in hopes of figuring out if he was pissed at you in some way. He didn’t seem fazed. Quite tranquil, really.

 _But what if he's really mad but doesn't_ _want_ _to_ _show_ _?_

"Were they picking on you because of me?" You tugged at his wrist, speaking in the calmest way you could make out.

"It doesn't matter."

And that caused you to stop in your tracks. You tilted you head at him, holding onto's your bag's handle once again.

"What the hell, Tsukishima. I clearly heard my name being mentioned. What's up with that?" You tried holding back a pout, staring at him right in the face.

"They were just jackasses. Pay them no mind."

You were surprised on how carefree and calm he remained. But didn't mean you were buying any of that. You crossed your arms and lowered yout gaze to your feet. "Is it because. . you're still a virgin?"

And that hit the spot.

He seemed to flinch at your comment, his brows were furrowed. "I'm not forcing you into anything."

"That's good, really." Your face remained expressionless for the time being, as you slowly approached him. You took both of his hands in yours and spat at him, "There's something we need to discuss on this matter."

Tsukishima pursed his lips and lead you to a nearby bench. "What's the matter?" He mumbled, kissing the top of your head once you sat down.

"It's, huh, a guy thing to, hm. . Lose your virginity at a young age? I'm not speaking in general but I think you got it." You exhaled heavily, massaging your temple with your fingers. "Above all else I need you to listen, okay? It might be a hard thing to understand."

Tsukishima's brows remained sharply furrowed, as he squeezed your hand for you to continue.

"I'm asexual." His expression didn't change as you spoke up. "A lot of people experience it in different ways but. . I, for instance, don't intend to ever have sex. It partly scares me and partly grosses me out."

You stopped for a moment to collect your thoughts, squeezing his hand even more.

"I _am_ attracted to you – in a romantic way. As in. .  I, huh, like hugging you and. . k-kissing you, t. . touching you," You were slowly at a time having your cheeks flushed in the brightest of shades of red. "I _love_ being around you."

 _What_ _if_ _I_ _just_ _grossed_ _him_ _out_ _?_

"It sounds dumb, doesn't it? At any rate, if our relationship lasts as long to the point of _this_ happening. _._ I thought I'd let you know."

You, hopefully, turned to your side and stared up at him. You didn't expect him to remain this calm. . He's a really calm person, to be honest, but still. . You expected _something_ would happen.

Tsukishima pulled you closer into an embrace, nuzzling his face against the crook of you neck. "I'm glad you trusted me enough to open up. That's a really personal thing to say, well, mainly to your partner."

"So. . You're not mad?"

"Why wouldn't I be? If you don't ever want to have sexual relations, be it with me," _No_ _way_ _!_ _He's_ _getting_ _all_ _flustered!_ "Or someone else, I'll still respect your decision. Also, ignore what you heard the jackasses said before. Like I said, I'm not forcing you into anything."

You nodded furiously, tightly holding onto his waist. 

"Then we're good _."_


	18. intimidating

"Could I borrow this book some time?" You asked your short friend, flipping throughs the pages of the book you had in hands.

"Sure." He bluntly replied, avoiding your gaze as much as possible.

You hated being the one to break it all down but, as much as you adored him, you simply couldn't see him as a romantic partner in potential.

He probably still had a crush on you and so you were trying your best not to make things difficult for him, even though he already knew you were interested in someone else.

"Okay!" You nodded affirmatively, before handing him the book back. "By the way, I've been playing this game–"

You weren't even able to finish your sentence by the sudden look of horror in your friend's face. He was furiously clutching at the book and you could've sworn he was shaking, if ever so slightly.

Before even considering asking what was going on, you decided to look for yourself.

By the looks of an enormous shadow that seemed to loom over you, you knew far too well who would that be.

Turning on your heel, you spun around to look a  _whoever_  seemed to scare your petite friend.

With a cheeky grin, you playfully tried pushing him away. "Tsukishima, you're scaring my friend." You grumbled under you breath, nervously turning back to your friend.

"I'm sorry but I have to get going! I'll talk to you some other time, okay?" And so you waved off at the still shaky figure of a petite boy who still clinged at his book.

Tsukishima _tsk'_ d at the frail boy and proceeded to turn around. Even so, you skipped after him and laced your arm against his. Burying you face at his side, you couldn't help but grumble once again, "Why do you always have to scare off my friends?"

"It's not my fault he was intimidated by my sole existence." Tsukishima mumbled teasingly, gently nudging you with his side.

"Ha,  _you suck."_  And with that playfully elbowed at his ribcage.

_"Well, that doesn't seem to stop you from loving me~"_


	19. distance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that most of the old drabbles have been rewritten.

You had taken notice of how, with each day that passed, Tsukishima seemed to come home more and more stressed. His expression was dull, his attitude bitter.

You also took notice he would avoid talking to you as much as possible – because whenever you did, he ended up rudely snapping at you.

In return, you did nothing. You had your own business to attend to – such as focusing on college and studying in general. But that's how things started to go by.

You wouldn't exchange words, even if you lived together; you were too busy distracting yourself from your boyfriend's foul mood.

Whenever he came home from practice he'd just head straight to shower, shove some microwave food into his mouth and go to bed. Simple as that.

And to think, both of you avoided having eye contact as much as possible – for it would lead to a conversation and thus, a fight was soon to combust.

But you expected things would diverge at some point. College was stressful for the both of you, there's no lie, but staying like that – in stupid silence – was ridiculous.

Until one night, you set your textbook aside and decided to try something. Even if you two shared the bed, amidst the situation you were in, lately you had been sleeping with your back facing his – what a healthy relationship you were in.

You took a peek at the bedroom the two of you shared, in which you came to find Kei lying on the bed – he had a towel wrapped around his waist, so you presumed he had just gotten out of shower.

_Wait. . Is he asleep?_  You mumbled under your breath, quietly stepping inside the room. His head might've been turned away from your current point of view, but you could still note how subtly his shoulders heaved up and down.  _Practice must be really hard on him lately, maybe that's why._

No words had been exchanged between the two of you for almost a week and a half, which legitimately made you reconsider your relationship with him up until now. But you were far too focused on your studies to even stop to ponder.

With quiet footsteps, you made your way to the bed. He didn't even budge when you lied down, right by his side. But that was your opportunity to try and set things straight.

You studied his face for a moment; his brows were slightly furrowed, which you presumed to either be a bad dream or just the result of a very exhausting and stressful day.

Your gaze lowered to his pointy yet charming nose, which you simply admired. And his lips. Which hadn't been kissed by yours in so, so long. You found yourself holding back a pout.

You looked at his bust, toned and built through out the years – you chuckled at the thought of the times you used to make fun of his lanky build, like a french fry.

You could stare at him for hours, in all honesty. That was, by far, the first time you had seen him physically calm after a week or so – his previously stiff posture seemed to melt in the matress.

Little by little, a smile was making its way into your lips. Even with the setbacks you were facing, your feelings for him would never seem to change. And to think, you hadn't even properly looked at him in quite some time – once again, studying and avoiding one another.

Would he look at you when you were too busy focusing on some textbook? You couldn't help but wonder, tiredly letting out a sigh.

Glancing at his sleeping face yet once more, you outstretched your arms and carefully snaked them around his torso – he didn't budge, once again.

You leaned closer, so your face was pressed against his side – and that caused him to stir, subtly. You couldn't really tell if he was fully awake or not, but decided to leave it at that.

With an arm around him, you calmly ran your free hand across his chest. Nothing but your fingers gently brushing against his skin, tracing at his muscle definitions and ribcage.

You hadn't touched him in so long and you felt your stomach doing anxious flips of finally, one step at a time, reestablishing the bond you once shared.

You were on the verge of mumbling dozens of 'I'm sorry's but he had already taken advantage of you, humbly commenting. "Your hands are cold."

If only for a second, you felt yourself tensing up. But with your head so close to his chest, just by feeling the vibration coming from his vocal chords and by the own beating of his heart, made you feel at ease once again.

"I presume things have been really stressful with practice, huh?" You asked, raising your chin so you could finally admire the golden orbs you loved too much.

His expression was as calm as ever, which you came to realize you hadn't seen in a really long time. You felt his chest heaving up and down before he spoke, with a simple sentence that caused your heart to skip a beat.

"I'm sorry."


	20. yellow (eyes)

You were sitting on the stairway of the Tsukishima's household backyard, patiently waiting for Kei to come out.

And when he did, he sat by your side, a towel placed around his neck; droplets of water leaving his freshly washed hair locks to land on the wooden floor.

You warmly stared up at him, stretching out your right arm to side hug him. You could smell the faint scent of fabric softener from his shirt, but also the smell of his favorite cologne you adored too much.

"How long have you been waiting?" His voice was so calm and melodious to your ears you could've thought of it as a faint whisper, or even assimilate it to the soothing sound of the wind brushing against the grass.

"I got here some time before you left practice. Mom wanted to go grocery shopping and before heading home, I thought I'd stop by." You explained, feeling your heart pump rapidly once he placed his head on top of yours.

"How are you holding up?" Your grip on his side got tighter and you had to fight the urge to pout, or else you would start tearing up like a little kid by simply hearing his corcern about you; trivial, most likely, but those "are you okay"s would always cause you to fawn over relentlessly.

"Being a third year is, well, as stressing as it can be but, coming here gave me some time to think and relax – I mean you guys got quite the view from this backyard." You glanced up at him, "The _Moon_ is beautiful, don't you think?"

Your choice of words seemed to have caught him off guard; he was used to you making the corniest and cheesiest of pick-up lines based off a character from his surname, but considering how confidently and bluntly you spoke this time, well, that was new.

Even with the faint light, you could note the subtle shade of pink dusting his cheeks. 

"Do you know the contrast Van Gogh used to apply when painting the Moon and stars?" You spoke up, because you knew far too well he was not going to ruin your upcoming monologue. "How much they stand out in _Starry Night_?"

"We might still see the light coming from the houses in the small town bellow, but nothing compares to the glimmer of the Moon and whatever else emits light out there." You had no rational explanation to why you were thinking out loud about such matters; maybe that's one of the side-effects of being in love. 

"And that's how I feel; corny or not, you're _my Moon_ and stars." You were yet, once again, contemplating his facial structure and, as much as he avoided making eye contact, you would still admire the pink shade on his ears and cheeks, but also the reflection of the Moon in his golden eyes.

"But above it all else, as much as I adore and admire Van Gogh, the yellow in his artwork is nothing compared to the yellow in your irises. When I look at them I can't help but think of arid lands; the sunrise on a desert; sunflowers." 

"But did you know Van Gogh used to eat yellow paint because he thought it would get the happiness inside him? Poor little guy. But I can see where he's getting at, you know?" You couldn't help but timidly smile up at him.

"I might be the first person in the world who considers giving a speech/monologue of the sort on how much I love your eyes, but where's the lie." Even so, you turned your head away, feeling your cheeks flaring up.

"I can't imagine a world without you and your astouding golden eyes."


	21. tiny

The thing about being so absurdly taller than your partner is how fragile they may seem to be in your eyes. Not only for their petite stature, but also by their clothes and shoewear, or even the size of their hands.

Whenever Tsukishima stopped at your house, he couldn't help smiling sheepishly whenever he spotted your shoes on the doorstep. "Tiny," was all he would think.

The same would happen whenever he held your hand. It seemed so small and delicate – if compared to his, – he was scared of holding onto it too tightly.

Or when you would fall asleep with your head on his lap. The contrast between the width of his and your shoulder was something he thought of as fascinating, to say the least.

No matter how much you yelled you could kick his ass (and oh, he knew you could take care of yourself just fine) he still would, most likely always, see you as a frail individual whom he would try his best to take care of.

Even if you had to tiptoe to reach the tallest of shelves, those tiny actions of yours warmed his heart to the core. Even if you couldn't see yourself as delicate or frail, your stature was just the right fit to declare you so, according to his standards.

He adored when you threw your arms around him and melted in his embrace; you fit his arms so perfectly he knew he couldn't let go. He couldn't lose you.

Even if you would smack him on the stomach whenever he called you short, you would always be seen as tiny in his eyes; there was nothing you could change about it. But you were happy.

Whenever he threw himself on top of you, doing nothing but hold you close and run his slender fingers through your hair, he could yet once more contemplate your petite physique.

You would quietly complain you were being suffocated, but would just hold onto him and shift into a comfortable position, so you could breath properly.

And the thing about being the tiny one in a relationship, is how comforting it is to have a giant dork with his arms around you. 

And somehow, Tsukishima's high stature was something you came to find reassuring.


	22. cameras

Whenever you made your way home, you would walk across a bridge atop a small lake nearby. The shimmering on the water reflected the rays of the setting sun, a group of koi fish being currently fed by an old woman, who graced them with bread bits.

What you came to find to your right was your friend Kei, sitting by the shoreline. His arms were outstretched, a camera in his hands. His glasses were set aside, as he peeked through the lenses of his camera.

With a subtle smile on your lips, you cautiously made your way the shoreline, sitting down right by his side. With a glint of mischief in your eyes, you purposely waved your hand in front of him, as if to distract him from his camera.

"You know, whenever I look at you it's always through these lenses." You bitterly commented, with a sigh, swinging your feet back and forth. "What's so good about them, anyway?"

Upon placing his camera on his lap, Kei turned to you – slightly squinting, you noticed. "You, of all people, should understand how it feels not to be able to properly see things – as a short-sighted person."

You quietly sneered at him, straighting up your glasses. "Maybe you need better lenses for your glasses, then." But even so, you irked a brow up at him, studying his delicate features, with no rims or lenses to be hidden under.

"Have you ever seen the sunset from here?" He humbly asked, reaching out for his camera once again. With a shake of your head, you were thinking back on how you had never thought of stopping by that place to watch the sunset.

Your eyes widened in amazement, your chest warm, upon the sight of the pictures Kei scrolled through on his camera. First, the sky dusted in pink and orange, the lake reflecting nothing but the bright rays of the setting sun.

The second one, with lavender-colored clouds, a few blurred buildings on the distance. The third one, with birds flying off into the distance, the sun rays being shed by their feathers.

And you were wondering why you had never considered checking Kei's portfolio before. Surely you thought it would be too intrusive, even if you were friends, but you never quite thought he had the eye for it.

"They're amazing, Kei." You heaved out, in a daze. In all honesty you were one when it came to appreciating nature; you really enjoyed sitting back just to watch fallen leaves fly, or just feel the wind blowing at your hair, but that was a whole new concept.

Through Kei's camera you saw what he thought of as interesting. His taste, his  _aesthetic_ _;_  all in all, his pictures were a reflection of his thoughts, likes and dislikes.

It was interesting, really, to record memories or a moment in particular through photographs, but they would never top the sensation of  _living_  the actual experience.

With lips pursed, you thought back on what was going on his mind when he decided that, at that moment, he would snap a shot. Surely the view was more than beautiful but, as banal as that sounded, you liked to wonder what went into his mind.

But even so, handing his camera back to him, you added. "As much as I admire your work, I think you should enjoy it more to yourself, don't you think?"

With a short pause, you nervously corrected yourself, flailing your hands around. "Not that I'm saying photography isn't an enjoyable hobby! . .I'm just thinking it would be more interesting to let it all sink in."

"I sound so old-school for going all _'Live and enjoy the moment!'_ but I wouldn't mind enjoying those little moments with you." You sheepishly said with a cheeky smile, only to find a flustered Kei.

"Hum–! Only if that's alright with you, of course!"


	23. "only ones who know"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d82zxqZHUo8&feature=youtu.be)

You always thought your first kiss with Kei had been just out of the spur of the moment; nothing more, nothing less. And that's why neither of you put much thought on actually investing on a relationship.  
  
And naturally, neither of you showed public displays of affection. You would still hang out as friends, but that still didn't stop you from stealing a kiss when nobody was looking.  
  
As time went on, you came to ponder what exactly were you to him. Were you just friends who were pathetically lonely when it came to romance? Or did he actually feel something? Well, did _you_ feel something? Did any of you feel _anything_ at all?  
  
You hated to admit you were conflicted, and that was one of the main reasons you didn't want to openly admit being in a relationship. _Relationships take time and are built on trust._ Not that you didn't trust Kei, far from it, but being a college student was more than time consuming.  
  
As for your friends, they were slowly starting to get more and more suspicious whether there was something going on between the two of you – well, if not, it seemed just the typical unrequited crush scenario. Atleast when it came to you, of course.  
  
They took notice of how, whenever you sat by Kei's side, you would unconsciously lean closer to his shoulder, or even tug at his forearm – and surprisingly, he didn't seem annoyed by it. And near him, you couldn't look any brighter.  
  
You always wore a smile on your face, even if your week had been a living hell. And that, because you knew, at the very end of the day, you had someone you could count on. Not that you didn't appreciate your friends' support but. . . _He was different._  
  
Within time, you came to find it unsettling how Kei started to have an extremely busy agenda, studies here and there. On a normal scenario that wouldn't have angered you as much as it did, but you had to understand it would've happened at some point.  
  
And oh no, believe me, your biggest fear wasn't missing a few days, or weeks, of Kei's company. What was driving you insane, deeply, was how unusual and concerning it was for you to be that bitter of not being able to see him.  
  
And that was your biggest fear. You hated to admit it, but there was it. _You had a crush on Tsukishima Kei._ And you could've sworn you knew it from the start. That kiss was no spur of the moment; it was no mistake.  
  
You unconsciously knew you were trying your best to avoid admitting to yourself you were crushing on your best friend – and let's face it, crushing on your best friend 90% of the times ends up with someone with their heart broken and a ruined friendship.  
  
And amidst that scenario repeating over your head, you were on the brink of going supernova. You had so many other issues to deal with, far much more bigger problems to face and there you were. Losing it over the fact you were crushing on your best friend.  
  
_Should I tell him?_ Chances are he'll most likely reject you because, just as mentioned before, relationships require a lot of work and time – busy schedules are common, yes, but it all came down to priorities! The word **"college"** seemed to appear with a flash, as if it were a neon sign.  
  
Attempting to officially start a relationship – if all went right – would be a distraction! Surely a lot of people are able to maintain relationships for as long as a lifetime but. . . _Why not?_  
  
It all sounded like impish thoughts coming from a scared kid but, really, what else was there to fear if not for the rejection? It's not like things would change, really. You would still be friends!   
  
And with a swift swipe, you shakily messaged him and asked if you could meet up – luckily, he was just on a break from his studies! 

* * *

When you saw him sitting on the bench, casually looking at his phone screen, you could feel your heartbeart accelerating like there was no stopping it. _No chickening out, now._  
  
With a gulp, you tried to remain cool on the outside as you sat by his side. And just by feeling your knees brushing against his caused your face to burn. _Was I always like this?_  
  
And when he looked at you straight on the eyes, you felt yourself covering your flaring cheeks with your shaky palms. Kei was confused, at best. "What's wrong?"  
  
Now, that was your time to shine. You were an adult! It was no time to back down, it was no time to gag. And you've sworn you could your best friend's voice yelling for you to _do it!_  
  
No matter how things turned out to be, it would still be something only the two of you would know. Really, _why not give it a try?_  
  
"Don't you think we should start going out?"


	24. echo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by [this.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxpLxb5jHO0&app=desktop)

_Your mind told you to leave – to let go of the past and move on, but your heart ached and told you to stay._

And as much as you hated to admit, you couldn't help feeling bogged down by what you once came to share with a special someone, your partner and best friend, Tsukishima Kei.

You recalled the times you would get home after such an eventful week when it came to college and would stumble across him, standing just outside on the balcony, his silhouette shaped upon the glimmer of the moon.

His muscles seemed dull, his shoulders tense. Of course, you couldn't blame him for stressing over college – well, you were too – but those weekends were the times you had to breath, with no weight on your shoulders.

His sheepish, tired smile upon your arrival was one of the reasons you could finally heave out, alleviated. Holding onto his sides, you could feel your own muscles relaxing, melting into his embrace.

You still remembered his half-dimmed face, your chin raised up with a subtle, warm smile formed on you lips. You remembered his strong cheekbones and jawline, your slender fingers caressing his features.

His wide shoulders, the prominence of his collarbones, the stretch of his nape as he stared down at you; you were strongly fond of the memories you had of his physique, and perhaps, of the thought of being around him.

His golden locks were more of a platinum shade under that cloudless, full-moon night. His gentle hold, his tender kisses, his touch, all of those refrained you of thinking back on the issues at hand; studies and having to settle for the future, career-wise.

Kei was conflicted as well, even though he was never one to show, or to be clear when it came down to expressing himself, for all that mattered. His careful antics never caused you to falter when it came to your decision-making.

Well, surely both of you had your own problems to deal with, but you couldn't merely brush aside and forget the relationship the two of you built and invested on throughout the years.

If you came to plan just the right schedule for everything and executed it properly, in no time you would be able to sit back, relax and enjoy your college break.

What you didn't expect is that things would fall apart sooner than you ever expected it would. Kei had grown distant, eventually, just as much as you did. It all came to fighting, shouting and racing hearts. The glancing at lips, hot breath, made things worse than they already were.

And from that point, you had parted your separate ways – and deep inside it hurt like hell, but you were glad to have settled on the priorities at hand. Forget what you feel, and remember what you deserve.

_I wish you well, Kei. Don't overwork yourself, alright? Take care._

In the end, you still found yourself thinking back on how had you even been able to maintain a relationship for that long; hell, you didn't ever believe his feelings would've been mutual, on the first place.

But that still didn't stop you from seeing him so clearly projected against your closed eyelids, struck anew, in awe of his beauty, of the passion that radiated from every cell when he finally dropped his shields, letting you in.

And yet. . .

Solely relying on the memories of the past was no way to progress forward;  _priorities_ , you repeated. You were going to miss him like no tomorrow, surely, but there was a reason you two broke apart.

You wandered the, now, empty corridor of your apartment. The silence was absurd, no smell of tea filled the air, not anymore. The balcony stood empty, with no soul, no silhouette to be molded by the moon.

And were you alright with it?

_Priorities, [Y/N]._


	25. you

Tsukishima legitimately never thought someone would be able to make him feel this way. All in all, the mere concept of "loving" someone, as a partner, was something absurdly futile in his eyes. It was something he saw as pointless – well, he thought so, until you came around.  
  
At first, what caught his attention was how you were able to properly retort to his sassy and witty remarks. He thought of it as a challenge, to which he came to find surprisingly amusing.  
  
Soon it developed into a constant and playful tease, in which you would commonly add snarky comments of your own – the funniest part was how most of the times you would hurriedly apologize afterwards for being an asshole.  
  
There was even the time you decided to attempt receiving – only to have the ball slamming straight against your face. Luckily, your glasses hadn't been damaged in that process.  
  
In his eyes, you were interesting. He unconsciously started paying attention to your every move – the way you would wave your hands around while talking, how sometimes you would shyly look down instead of having a conversation eye-to-eye with someone.   
  
Or how you would adorably place the palm of your hand on your mouth whenever you were surprised. Or, too, how you fixed up your glasses and averted your gaze whenever you didn't know what to say.  
  
He also noted how you would cover your mouth whenever you laughed, all because you didn't really appreciate your own smile. All those little things seemed to make him on edge, utterly fascinated by your unusual way of being you.  
  
And thus, he realized he couldn't stop thinking about you and your little gestures. Watching you spontaneously laughing with your friends would cause an unusual feeling to emerge from his chest.  
  
His chest would hurt like hell, so much to the point he couldn't breath properly. He could feel his heart doing somersaults, he was positive of it. The palm of his hands would sweat considerably, and he felt himself losing his composure.  
  
He was a fool to be feeling this way. Even if he tried neglecting whatever the atrocity that was going on, deep inside he knew there no escaping it – for now. Or so he thought.  
  
And you, naturally, noticed the sudden change in his behavior. Even the rest of the team could note how strangely awkward he would act towards you.  
  
Yamaguchi tried asking him what was going on. But naturally, no proper answer was ever spoken. Until he walked in on you, all by yourself, under the heavy rain.  
  
He considered walking away, but part of him didn't really appreciate seeing you in that state – cowering in the corner, soaking wet.  
  
You seemed surprised to see him, even if you weren't that really far away from school grounds – actually, you were sitting right behind the gymnasium.  
  
With a huff and an uneasy gulp, he carefully sat by your side and asked what was wrong. All he ever paid attention to – he was fascinated by the proximity the two of you were, so he could actually admire the color of your eyes – was you saying something about a friend of yours having a crush on you.  
  
"Crush" is such a mediocre term, he thought bitterly. He was not crushing on you, and he was trying his best to prove so. But glancing at your tembling figure as you rambled on and on how your friend had talked about this girl – who matched your description by 100% – he had a crush on and planned on confessing to her.  
  
You admitted being scared of jeopardizing your friendship and you were too ashamed to even reject your closest friend – you shamefully grumbled your beliefs of actually crushing on someone else.  
  
Tsukishima would've suggested you told your crush how you felt about them, but bit his tongue and prevented himself from saying so. He thought for a moment, side glancing at your confused face before he decided to turn your way.  
  
He gently placed his slender and sore fingers on your cheeks, much to your surprise, and slowly started leaning in.  
  
You could've been frozen in place, but when he was just a few centimeters away from placing his lips on yours, you had turned your head – which resulted in him planting a kiss on the corner of your mouth.  
  
With a sudden wave of fear of rejection washing over him, he blankly stared down at you. Before uttering a single word, you were – cheeks madly flushed – pointing at your glasses.  
  
He never considered how uncomfortable it would be to have two glasses wearers kissing. Into a mutual understandment, both of you set your glasses aside and carried on.  
  
He leaned down, gently brushing his nose against yours, before his lips finally touched yours. He could feel how frail you felt due to the sudden rush of emotions, by how your wrists – resting on his criss-crossed legs – shook nervously.  
  
First kisses are supposed to be messy, but yet he couldn't help but note how deeply he desired to rely on his impulse – which resulted in him bitting at your bottom lip.  
  
You jerked in surprise and pulled away, your fingertips gently caressing your now most likely wounded lip. You weren't exactly disappointed, but more confused and partly surprised on the turn of things.  
  
Tsukishima mumbled a humble apology, averting your gaze as much as possible – to which you replied by reaching out for his hand and commenting you should take things slow.  
  
He shamefully apologized once again for humbly taking things too far, but you still reassured it was alright because, well, were you a couple now?  
  
You were looking forward to that.


	26. foreigner

There was no better feeling than finally meeting, face to face, with someone you had known for a very long time, but had only exchanged text messages with. You had arrived in Japan a few days back, with your said friend coming to pick you up at the airport.

Your eyes were watery, just by sighting the petite female you had known for long and there she was, on the flesh, standing with her outstretched arms in front of you.

Rather than out of nervousness and embarrassment, you quietly greeted her in japanese and tightly engulfed her into a motherly hug. "I can't believe this."

* * *

If there was one thing you really admired about japanese people was how charming their culture was to you. You and your friend passed by crowded shrines and temples from many eons back, and even spotted several animals you had never seen or ever heard of before.

It was heartwarming to see the streets and shopping malls filled with adournments because of some sort of festival which would be held in a few weeks. You loved how polite everyone was and you'd catch yourself ever so often screaming out whenever you saw cute clothes on a store's showcase – and that happened quite often.

One day, you and your friend had stopped on a calm and small park, near an ice cream shop. You were enjoying your flavor of choice, swaying your legs back and forth as you joined your friend on the swings.

You were both laughing to your heart's content just by remembering an old internal joke, until you heard your companion gasp, which caused you to flinch back. "What's up?"

And if there was one thing you hated was being  _that_ person, who keeps on nagging at their friend because of someone, acquaintance of theirs, you found interesting.

_"Holy shit."_ You heaved out in your native idiom, upon sighting that one "someone" you came to find interesting. Nagisa, your friend, would ever so often talk to you about an old acquaintance of hers she, somehow, thought would be a perfect match for you.

"Tsukishima-kun!" _Crap._ Just by listening to Nagisa's voice calling out to _that_ name, you felt your muscles tense at the same time your heartbeat bursted with a rapid rythm, a lump forming inside your throat.  _Crap. Crap._

If you had lost your composure upon hearing your friend tell you he thought you were kinda cute, imagine how fucked you were by seeing him in person.  _A tall, tall wall that looms over me._

His gaze was as firm as Nagisa had told you, almost as if condescending.  _So he's got character problems, huh?_

Nagisa motioned for him to approach both of you, your sweaty palms tightly holding onto to the swing's wires. You couldn't have felt more nervous than in that moment in particular.  _Am I really into him? I mean, we never even met but from what I've heard. . . Sigh._

"Tsukishima, hey!" Nagisa greeted, holding her hand up in the air for a high five – only to have him staring weirdly down at her, as judgemental as you expected he would.

With a pout and a sweat mark of defeat running down her forehead, she added. "This is my friend, [Y/N]. She came from overseas to visit!"

If you had the chance, you would've run away like a little girl. You were shaking, your palms sweaty. But even so you swallowed dryly, unsure what to do, and still managed to politely smile up at him.

He turned to stare you down, a glint of curiosity sparkling in his eyes – Nagisa was ever so often talking about you, so Tsukishima was one to be quite caught up in the situation.

"Hello." Tsukishima greeted you, his voice monotone and raspy. And he, indeed, not only did think you were cute but, he mentally scolded himself for thinking you were _beautiful._

Before you even got the chance to respond, Nagisa had already jumped up and spit words you never thought you'd hear. "You should hang out with her, show her around, etc. I'm sure she'd appreciate it!"

Your face twitched into an horrified look, furiously shaking your head negatively. _Of all things she could do. . ._

"Why me?" Tsukishima bitterly retorted, which caused you to feel rather than hurt inside, but decided to pay it no mind. You didn't even know each other, anyway.

Nagisa patted at her jeans, dusting the dirt off the fabric, and proceeding to explaining herself. "I actually have a family meeting today and, well, [Y/N]-chan said so herself it would be impolite for her to go. . ."

_Well, I could stay by myself but. . ._

"I never ask you anything, Tsukishima. Just this once be nice to someone, would you?" Nagisa grumbled, her gaze fierce and full of determination. She wasn't one to give up of her ideas.

Tsukishima seemed subtly annoyed by Nagisa's persistence and even if he wasn't one particularly fond of making friends or socializing in general, he genuinely had nothing to do and wanted to stay as far away as possible from his brother. _"Fine."_

"Treat her with care!" 

* * *

You lost count on how many times you screamed profanities in your mind just by thinking on how Nagisa had screwed you over.

_Of all things, if I'm really into him. . . I still have no clue how to behave decently around him. He seems like the type who'd mock me for the rest of my existence. Damn it._

But even so, even if things had started as awkward as it could be, you were relieved to know things seemed to end up going smoothly. But even so, if compared to him, you were much more of a verbal person and that legitimately caused you to ponder if you were annoying.

Anxiety aside, he seemed fairly interested in your pragmatic ideals and observations on the most trivial of matters. The chatter ranged from the hipocrisy of society as a whole, to a debate of your favorite cretaceous era dinosaur.

And you had to admit, you were gradually warming up to his company and you were feeling a lot better, still distressed, if compared to how freaked out you were earlier.

You two hung out for a while, although you weren't so sure he was having fun because his comments were rare, but just as important, and that didn't prevent the conversation from flowing.

You were all smiles and giggles, your heart just as accelerated as before, and really, you were deeply enjoying the moment. You just hoped the feeling was mutual.

In the last minute, both agreed it would be nice to go to the movies and so you found your way to the line – sadly, it was a little crowded.

In the meantime, you patiently waited for the line to progress forward, studying all the ambiance of that shopping mall.

Nothing seemed to be caught in your curious gaze, which caused you to glance down at your phone. As you did so, you caught yourself with your eyes fixed on Tsukishima's hand.

Genuinely, you were fascinated by how slender his fingers were, the back of his hand veiny and seemingly dry, a small piece of bandage wrapped around his middle and ring fingers.

And completely out of impulse, you reached out for his hand. And what first came to mind was how extremely cold it felt against your skin.

Almost as if instantly he turned back to stare you down, his muscles stiff and his brows furrowed. You were positive you had fucked up on the very start of your new friendship in development.

_Which is why I've accepted the fact I'm going to die alone._

"Shit– I'm sorry! I was just–!" You nervously chirped, and would've considered pulling away if he hadn't squeezed your hand in return, his ears clearly red out of embarrassment.

The corners of you mouth twitched into the silliest of cheeky grins, averting your gaze from whatever was going on between the two of you; well, you couldn't believe this would _ever_ happen!

And seemingly, Tsukishima was just as content, even though he wasn't one to show as openly, other than the gentle way he intertwined his fingers in yours.

Were things moving up too fast? Honestly, both of you didn't seem to mind.

_"Next, please!"_


	27. support

Tadashi hadn't seen you so down since the day you heard the news of your grandpa's passing, a few years back. You sat alone, uninterested and opaque eyes staring almost as if lifeless at the book you had on your lap.

He could note the dark bags under your eyes, your slender fingers ever so often being rubbed against your subtly runny nose. You had probably forgotten how to smile, even with yours friends making you company.  _[Y/N], you don't smile anymore._

Tadashi knew you and Tsukishima had broken up after three years together, and he knew far too well his long-term friend wasn't one to be open about his feelings, but seeing the state you were in caused his heart to ache and he knew he had to try something.

It was a shock to hear that, after all you had been through together, the reason you broke apart was rather than immature: Kei's lack of trust, with a strong hint of jealousy, when it came to you.

From the very start, yes, he had made it clear the possessive side he had to him – not that it was necessarily a bad thing, but he liked to make sure that everyone knew you were his, and he was yours, only.

You wouldn't be one to complain, because you could be just as jealous when girls came to ask about him. Although, within time, Tsukishima came to have an outburst when he spotted a man – and a rather attractive one – being all smiles around you.

And indeed you were smiling back out of politeness, but Kei took none of that. In return, you had your fair share of yelling back at him – he could almost see irked veins popping on your forehead – for such a pathetic attitude.

Was he regretful? Yes, for the most of it. He might've overreacted, but to hear you say, in disbelief, he still couldn't trust you even after all this years, caused his heart to shatter into pieces.

But what hurt even more was to see the infinity of tears running down your cheeks, and the sudden feeling of realization he would no longer be the one to comfort you in your time of need. And he hated it.

And so, Tadashi, being a close mutual of the two of you, knew he was the only one who could set things straight – well, no one could stop him.

With a heavy sigh, as he looked at your fragile state of being for one last time, he hurried through the university campus looking for his blonde friend. And that didn't take long.

But before Tsukishima could tell Tadashi to shut up – he knew far too well what his friend had in mind – he had already spoken up, his eyes glimmering with determination. _Hear me out._

"Don't get all cocky thinking you won [Y/N] over because, believe me, you didn't.  _She_ was the one who chose you. _She_ 's the one who's _always_ going to stand by your side. Why can't you open your mind and give her a little more faith? Have you even seen the way she looks at you? . . . _You're the world to her_."

Tsukishima had been taken completely off-guard. Tadashi had always been one to try to push him towards the right path, whenever he thought was needed, but hearing him speak his mind when it came to  _his_ break-up, he knew he couldn't have asked for a better friend.

Tadashi didn't complain upon seeing his blonde friend brisking away, towards the place he _knew_ where to find you. He was satisfied he had been able to knock some sense into his companion with little, yet thoughtful words.

_And now it's all up to you, Tsukki. But know I'm rooting for you!_


End file.
